Health Minister Mary Harney is due to attend a meeting of EU health ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday.

The situation is under ongoing review by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Department of Foreign Affairs also urged Irish citizens travelling in Mexico to ’exercise extreme caution’ in coming days.

Mr Martin told his EU colleagues at the General Affairs & External Relations Council meeting in Luxembourg that close co-ordination between member states on the issue was vital in coming days.

“The EU is on red alert and Ireland’s national response systems have been fully mobilised,” he added.